/tahr"peuhn/ , n. , pl. tarpons , ( esp. collectively ) tarpon .
a large, powerful game fish, Megalops atlantica, inhabiting the warmer waters of the Atlantic Ocean, having a compressed body and large, silvery scales.
[ 1675-85; earlier tarpum, trapham, terbum, of uncert. orig.; cf. D tarpoen; words in various Indian languages of Central America (Miskito tapam, Sumo tahpam, Rama tápum, Paya ta'pam ) prob. ult. ]